Video

[ampersand_me]

WHO: Knuckles, you
WHERE: Gemini
WHEN: Just after a certain someone got home from the Goodwill (so like, this weekend)
WHAT: Someone came home to everything covered in wrapping paper...
WARNINGS: None

The video opened to a nice view of a certain red alien echidna's face. Looking very, very confused.

"I understand that strange occurrences are common in this world, but what am I to do with this?"

A few seconds passed as he just sort of held the phone there while staring at it, before his eyes widened as he apparently realized something.

"Oh, you cannot see it."

And then the screen was obscured by the large white blur that was one of his gloved hands bapping it a few times, before the video finally switched to the outer camera. The image was an eye-searing blur of colors that quickly came into focus as... the interior of Knuckles' tiny cabin in the park woods, with every surface absolutely covered by brightly-colored and festive wrapping paper. Even the window appeared to be adorned with a ribbon and a bow.

"It was like this when I returned. Is this some manner of local ritual, such as I have seen at the stores in town?"

The poor kid was so very, very confused. Merry Christmas, Knuckles.

Comments

voice; un: theprofessional

[sg09r]

Oh! Uh. Yeah, so...uh, bad news, I think you may have accidentally picked up a curse at the local Goodwill.

Usually they wear off in time! If it takes more than a week, though, you might want to move.

[ampersand_me]

"A curse?"

Please do elaborate, Knuckles was less than familiar with these things.

"But where would I move to?"

Chaos forbid he ever admit it, but he liked his little cabin in the woods.

[sg09r]

[Anywhere, bud.]

Crystal Tower? Meropide? [Pause.] Uh, no, maybe not Meropide.

...do you know what a curse is, because this is going to take a while if you don't.

[ampersand_me]

But then he'd have to deal with people he didn't know all the time, shudder.

"To curse someone is to wish them ill fortune, but what people here refer to as curses seems to be some other thing?"

[sg09r]

That's still an applicable definition, yeah, but the kind of curse I'm talking about is the more active kind, where someone enchants some aspect of your life or your body or your house to inconvenience you in some way.

[He thinks about it a bit more, rubbing at his chin.]

So it's still wishing them ill fortune, to some degree, you're just more active about causing it.

[ampersand_me]

"Then we must find the one responsible and teach them the error of their ways!"

That was... definitely not the right takeaway here.

video: un: bar_cat75

[wiseoldbartender]

[There's a pause as Husk tries to figure out just what in the fuck he's looking at, before he starts laughing. ]

Holy shit, there's a Christmas one, too. Fuck me! Yeah, kid, this is a thing that... fuckin' happens here, I think it's connected to that weirdo who runs the goodwill. It happened to our house, 'cept with Halloween. There's no getting rid of it. This is your life now.

Video

[ampersand_me]

That earned a frown from Knuckles. Partly because he was being laughed at, and partly because he still didn't quite understand what was going on.

"Your house had every item individually wrapped in colorful paper?"

[wiseoldbartender]

Oh nah, not the paper for us. It's more like... fuckin' spooky ass bats and fake ghosts. Y'know, Halloween shit.

[ Which, looking at the christmas hell Knuckles is currently living in, they definitely got the better end of the deal. ]

[ampersand_me]

"You have... ghosts in your home?"

Did he even hear the rest, or did he just freeze up at the g-word?

[wiseoldbartender]

What? Nah, they're fake ghosts. Plastic. Though... actually, probably we do? I dunno, my daughter can do weird shit with the paranormal.

[ What does Tank count as? Hell if he knows! But Husk definitely noticed that reaction. ]

...You okay kid? What? You're spooked by ghosts?

[ampersand_me]

"I--A warrior fears nothing!"

He's absolutely afraid of ghosts.

[wiseoldbartender]

I dunno, Kid, a warrior should fear plenty of shit, it's what keeps them alive.

[ He makes a soft, amused sound. ]

They're just dead people. Probably can't hurt you. I mean, fuck, they definitely don't exist in my past life, but from what I know about them here? They ain't shit.

[ampersand_me]

"A true warrior does not fear death, either."

Pointedly ignoring that very less than reassuring talk about ghosts because nope nope nope.

[wiseoldbartender]

[Oh boy, that gets a snort of amusement out of him. ]

Jesus Christ, Kid, only really crazy fuckers don't fear death. I mean, sure, it might not be the end, but it still fucking sucks, and the people who give a shit about you would sure have something to say about it.

[ampersand_me]

Knuckles just frowned at that, clearly trying to decide if he should be annoyed.

"Simply not fearing death is not the same as seeking it. However one cannot battle to one's fullest without being willing to accept that risk."

voice, un: eve

[playtag]

Ah. Your house also has holiday decorations.

[Given it's still December his house doesn't look all that out of place, but she has a suspicion.]

Yes, those are typical for this time of year. Most people decorate their house themselves though. I'm guessing you didn't?

voice

[ampersand_me]

"I did nothing of the sort."

And even if he had decorated, did he look the type to carefully wrap each object with those big gloved fists of his??

"I returned to find it like this."

[playtag]

[Unseen, Eve nods.]

I thought so.

[She doesn't sound surprised at all. Not just because of his gloves but why would Knuckles decorate for a holiday he barely knew?]

It has happened before, a house suddenly being decorated without an obvious cause. Most likely another effect of this place.

[When in doubt, blame Kaisou for the weird]

Our place also got decorations, but for Halloween. They still haven't gone away.

[ampersand_me]

"It had been decorated before, but I do not see the point in covering everything in colorful paper."

In other words, there was being decorated, and there was covering everything in wrapping paper.

[playtag]

That is odd. The paper is usually reserved for gifts.

Some more eccentric holiday enthusiasts might wrap a couple household items as decorations, but I've never seen everything in wrapping paper before.

[Maybe this is a separate curse at work.]

Have you tried unwrapping something?

[ampersand_me]

"I have not. I only just arrived and found it like this."

He just, for once, decided to stop and ask before acting.

[playtag]

[Hmm...]

It might be risky [She's unsure if this change is due to some power that'd get angry.] but maybe you could try removing the paper in one spot and see if it works? Maybe a door?

[ampersand_me]

"Risky?"

He failed to see what the risk was. Or, perhaps, welcomed it, if it meant a good fight.

[playtag]

We don't know what wrapped everything in paper. Or what will happen if it's removed.

Maybe nothing will happen. Maybe the door breaks along with the paper. Who knows.